Device abstraction proxy

ABSTRACT

Described are systems and methods for implementing and operating a Device Abstraction Proxy (DAP). In one embodiment, the DAP includes a communications interface to connect the DAP to one or more access aggregation devices, each having a plurality of physical ports to provide Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) communication services to a plurality of remote DSL terminals via the plurality of physical ports. The DAP may further include a memory and processor to execute a virtual access aggregation device, in which a subset of the plurality of physical ports are allocated and linked to corresponding logical ports. The DAP may further include a global rule-set module to define operational constraints for the DSL communication services, and a management interface to allow at least one broadband access management system to manage the subset of physical ports allocated to the virtual access aggregation device subject to the operational constraints.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/188,959, entitled “DEVICE ABSTRACTION PROXY,” naming as inventorsMarc Goldburg and Philip Bednarz, and filed Jun. 21, 2016, which is adivisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/610,195, entitled“DEVICE ABSTRACTION PROXY,” naming as inventors Marc Goldburg and PhilipBednarz, and filed Sep. 11, 2012, which is a divisional of a U.S.National Phase patent application Ser. No. 13/511,632, entitled “DEVICEABSTRACTION PROXY,” naming as inventors Marc Goldburg and PhilipBednarz, and filed Aug. 16, 2012, which issued May 17, 2016, as U.S.Pat. No. 9,344,294, and is the U.S. National Phase of InternationalApplication No. PCT/US2010/055173, entitled “DEVICE ABSTRACTION PROXY,”naming as inventors Marc Goldburg and Philip Bednarz, and filed Nov. 2,2010, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.61/257,402, entitled “DEVICE ABSTRACTION PROXY,” entitled “DEVICEABSTRACTION PROXY,” naming as inventors Marc Goldburg and PhilipBednarz, and filed Nov. 2, 2009, which applications are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains materialwhich is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has noobjection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent documentor the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and TrademarkOffice patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrightrights whatsoever.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The subject matter described herein relates generally to the field ofcomputing, and more particularly, to Device Abstraction Proxy (DAP)systems and methods for implementing and operating Device AbstractionProxies.

BACKGROUND

The subject matter discussed in the background section should not beassumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in thebackground section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the backgroundsection or associated with the subject matter of the background sectionshould not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the priorart. The subject matter in the background section merely representsdifferent approaches, which in and of themselves may also correspond toembodiments of the claimed subject matter.

Many end-user consumers including residential consumers and businessconsumers connect to the Internet by way of Digital Subscriber Line(DSL) technologies. With DSL technologies, a service provider providesits end-users with Internet bandwidth, at least a portion of which iscarried over copper twisted pair telephone lines. The use of twistedpair telephone lines to deliver Internet bandwidth to an end-user isbeneficial because such lines are commonly pre-existing in a potentialend-user's location, and thus, activating service does not requiredexpensive retrofitting of a potential end-user's location with acommunication medium to connect the end-user's location to a serviceprovider.

The present state of the art may benefit from the Device AbstractionProxy systems and methods which are described herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments are illustrated by way of example, and not by way oflimitation, and can be more fully understood with reference to thefollowing detailed description when considered in connection with thefigures in which:

FIG. 1A illustrates an exemplary architecture in which embodiments mayoperate;

FIG. 1B illustrates an alternative exemplary architecture in whichembodiments may operate;

FIG. 2 illustrates an alternative exemplary architecture in whichembodiments may operate;

FIG. 3 illustrates an alternative exemplary architecture in whichembodiments may operate;

FIG. 4 shows a diagrammatic representation of a system in whichembodiments may operate, be installed, integrated, or configured;

FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C are flow diagrams illustrating methods forimplementing and operating Device Abstraction Proxies accordance withdescribed embodiments; and

FIG. 6 illustrates a diagrammatic representation of a machine in theexemplary form of a computer system, in accordance with one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Described herein are Device Abstraction Proxy (DAP) systems and methodsfor implementing and operating Device Abstraction Proxies. In oneembodiment, such a Device Abstraction Proxy includes a communicationsinterface to connect the Device Abstraction Proxy to one or more accessaggregation devices, each having a plurality of physical ports toprovide Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) communication services to aplurality of remote DSL terminals via the plurality of physical ports.In such an embodiment, the Device Abstraction Proxy further includes amemory and processor to generate, create, instantiate and/or execute avirtual access aggregation device, in which a subset of the plurality ofphysical ports are allocated to the virtual access aggregation deviceand linked to corresponding logical ports within the virtual accessaggregation device. Such a Device Abstraction Proxy further includes aglobal rule-set module to define operational constraints for the DSLcommunication services, and a management interface to allow at least onebroadband access management system to manage the subset of physicalports allocated to the virtual access aggregation device subject to theoperational constraints.

In some locations, a DSL services wholesaler provides DSL communicationequipment to form an infrastructure for such services and DSL servicesresellers sell DSL services (e.g., “Internet access”) delivered overthat infrastructure to individual consumers or end-users. Because theDSL services wholesaler controls the equipment forming the DSLinfrastructure and the DSL services reseller maintains a servicesrelationship with the consumers, conflicts exist between a DSL serviceswholesaler's interest in protecting the integrity of the infrastructureand a DSL services reseller's desire to access and control the equipmentin the interest of ensuring optimum service quality to the end-usersthat the reseller is responsible for.

These conflicts are exacerbated when multiple DSL services resellersoperate and compete for end-users in the same geographical area, and inturn, must co-exist on the DSL services wholesaler's commoninfrastructure equipment because each of the competing DSL servicesresellers have an interest in optimizing the quality of service providedto their own end-user consumers, even if doing so may be to thedetriment of end-user consumers associated with a competing DSL servicesreseller. Practicing the systems and methods described herein may permitand promote competition among DSL services resellers, including DSLservices wholesalers who also act as DSL services resellers, withoutdegrading the underlying infrastructure upon which DSL communicationservices are offered to consumers.

Broadband communications services providers are increasingly utilizingnetwork architectures in which the so-called “last-mile” connection is acopper, fiber or cable connection with one endpoint at a servicessubscriber's premises and another endpoint at an access aggregationdevice located in a street cabinet or vault in the general vicinity ofthe subscriber's premises. The access aggregation device may be, forexample, a DSL Access Multiplexer (DSLAM), a cable head-end, or a fiberoptic splitter. The access aggregation device is in turn connected to abroadband core network via a second broadband link, for example a fiberoptic link.

Some broadband DSL services providers operate their own accessaggregation devices such as DSLAMs connected to the copper loop thatextends to a subscriber's premises. However, other broadband DSLservices providers do not own the copper loop, such as when thebroadband DSL services provider is a Competitive Local Exchange Carrier(CLEC) in the United States. Such broadband DSL services providers mayinstead pay a rental fee to the owner of the copper loops that extend toeach of the broadband DSL services provider's customers. For severalreasons, including space constraints in street cabinets and vaults, itmay be impractical for the access aggregation devices of multiplebroadband providers to be installed in the street cabinets and vaultsthat are increasingly becoming the standard location for accessaggregation devices.

Accordingly, a business model for the delivery of broadband services isnow evolving in which a “wholesaler” deploys and operates the equipment,such as access aggregation devices in the street cabinets and vaults,and then resells “ports” to “resellers,” who deliver broadband servicesto subscribers via physical ports on the wholesaler's access aggregationdevices. With this model, multiple broadband DSL services providers cancompete for subscribers over a common infrastructure owned and operatedby a single wholesaler responsible for the underlying equipment thatmakes up the broadband communication infrastructure.

Using the systems and methodologies described herein, administrativeauthority for controlling certain events and controlling a portion ofthe functionality of an access aggregation device may be retained by,for example, a DSL services wholesaler having responsibility for theequipment constituting the DSL communication infrastructure, whileadministrative authority for controlling other events and controllingother functions of an access aggregation device may be delegated to aDSL services reseller that is responsible for a portion of the end-userconsumers that are provided Internet bandwidth over the DSL serviceswholesaler's equipment. Moreover, the physical ports at multiple accessaggregation devices can be abstracted and then represented to a DSLservices reseller as one virtual access aggregation device within aDevice Abstraction Proxy, thus providing a more convenient and intuitiverepresentation for the DSL services reseller.

In the following description, numerous specific details are set forthsuch as examples of specific systems, languages, components, etc., inorder to provide a thorough understanding of the various embodiments. Itwill be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that these specificdetails need not be employed to practice the disclosed embodiments. Inother instances, well known materials or methods have not been describedin detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the disclosedembodiments.

In addition to various hardware components depicted in the figures anddescribed herein, embodiments further include various operations whichare described below. The operations described in accordance with suchembodiments may be performed by hardware components or may be embodiedin machine-executable instructions, which may be used to cause ageneral-purpose or special-purpose processor programmed with theinstructions to perform the operations. Alternatively, the operationsmay be performed by a combination of hardware and software, includingsoftware instructions that perform the operations described herein viamemory and one or more processors of a computing platform.

Embodiments also relate to a system or apparatus for performing theoperations herein. The disclosed system or apparatus may be speciallyconstructed for the required purposes, or it may comprise a generalpurpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by a computerprogram stored in the computer. Such a computer program may be stored ina non-transitory computer readable storage medium, such as, but notlimited to, any type of disk including floppy disks, optical disks,CD-ROMs, and magnetic-optical disks, read-only memories (ROMs), randomaccess memories (RAMs), EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, orany type of media suitable for storing non-transitory electronicinstructions, each coupled to a computer system bus. In one embodiment,a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructionsstored thereon, causes one or more processors within a DeviceAbstraction Proxy to perform the methods and operations which aredescribed herein. In another embodiment, the instructions to performsuch methods and operations are stored upon a non-transitory computerreadable medium for later execution.

The algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently relatedto any particular computer or other apparatus nor are embodimentsdescribed with reference to any particular programming language. It willbe appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used toimplement the teachings of the embodiments as described herein.

FIG 1A illustrates an exemplary architecture 100 in which embodimentsmay operate in compliance with the G.997.1 standard (also known asG.ploam). Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) systems (one form ofDigital Subscriber Line (DSL) systems), which may or may not includesplitters, operate in compliance with the various applicable standardssuch as ADSL1 (G.992.1), ADSL-Lite (G.992.2), ADSL2 (G.992.3),ADSL2-Lite G.992.4, ADSL2+ (G.992.5) and the G.993.x emergingVery-high-speed Digital Subscriber Line or Very-high-bitrate DigitalSubscriber Line (VDSL) standards, as well as the G.991.1 and G.991.2Single-Pair High-speed Digital Subscriber Line (SHDSL) standards, allwith and without bonding.

The G.997.1 standard specifies the physical layer management for ADSLtransmission systems based on the clear, Embedded Operation Channel(EOC) defined in G.997.1 and use of indicator bits and EOC messagesdefined in G.992.x standards. Moreover, G.997.1 specifies networkmanagement elements content for configuration, fault and performancemanagement. In performing these functions, the system utilizes a varietyof operational data (which includes performance data) that is availableat an Access Node (AN).

In FIG. 1A, users terminal equipment 102 (e.g., a Customer PremisesEquipment (CPE) device or a remote terminal device) is coupled to a homenetwork 104, which in turn is coupled to a Network Termination (NT) Unit108. ADSL Transceiver Units (ATU) are further depicted (e.g., a devicethat provides ADSL modulation of a DSL loop or line). In one embodiment,NT unit 108 includes an ATU-R (ATU Remote), 122 (for example, atransceiver defined by one of the ADSL standards) or any other suitablenetwork termination modem, transceiver or other communication unit. NTunit 108 also includes a Management Entity (ME) 124. Management Entity124 can be any suitable hardware device, such as a microprocessor,microcontroller, or circuit state machine in firmware or hardware,capable of performing as required by any applicable standards and/orother criteria. Management Entity 124 collects and stores, among otherthings, operational data in its Management Information Base (MIB), whichis a database of information maintained by each ME capable of beingaccessed via network management protocols such as Simple NetworkManagement Protocol (SNMP), an administration protocol used to gatherinformation from a network device to provide to an administratorconsole/program or via Transaction Language 1 (TL1) commands, TL1 beinga long-established command language used to program responses andcommands between telecommunication network elements.

Each ATU-R 122 in a system may be coupled with an ATU-C (ATU Central) ina Central Office (CO) or other central location. ATU-C 142 is located atan Access Node (AN) 114 in Central Office 146. An Management Entity 144likewise maintains an MIB of operational data pertaining to ATU-C 142.The Access Node 114 may be coupled to a broadband network 106 or othernetwork, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. ATU-R 122and ATU-C 142 are coupled together by a loop 112, which in the case ofADSL may be a twisted pair line, such as a telephone line, which maycarry other communication services besides DSL based communications.

Several of the interfaces shown in FIG. 1 are used for determining andcollecting operational data. The Q interface 126 provides the interfacebetween the Network Management System (NMS) 116 of the operator and ME144 in Access Node 114. Parameters specified in the G.997.1 standardapply at the Q interface 126. The near-end parameters supported inManagement Entity 144 may be derived from ATU C 142, while far-endparameters from ATU R 122 may be derived by either of two interfacesover the UA interface. Indicator bits and EOC messages may be sent usingembedded channel 132 and provided at the Physical Medium Dependent (PMD)layer, and may be used to generate the required ATU-R 122 parameters inME 144. Alternately, the operations, Administration and Maintenance(OAM) channel and a suitable protocol may be used to retrieve theparameters from ATU R 122 when requested by Management Entity 144.Similarly, the far-end parameters from ATU C 142 may be derived byeither of two interfaces over the U-interface. Indicator bits and EOCmessage provided at the PMD layer may be used to generate the requiredATU-C 142 parameters in Management Entity 124 of NT unit 108.Alternately, the OAM channel and a suitable protocol can be used toretrieve the parameters from ATU C 142 when requested by ManagementEntity 124.

At the U interface (also referred to as loop 112), there are twomanagement interfaces, one at ATU C 142 (the U-C interface 157) and oneat ATU R 122 (the U-R interface 158). Interface 157 provides ATU Cnear-end parameters for ATU R 122 to retrieve over the U interface/loop112. Similarly, U-R interface 158 provides ATU R near-end parameters forATU C 142 to retrieve over the U interface/loop 112. The parameters thatapply may be dependent upon the transceiver standard being used (forexample, G.992.1 or G.992.2). The G.997.1 standard specifies an optionalOperation, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) communication channelacross the U interface. If this channel is implemented, ATU C and ATU Rpairs may use it for transporting physical layer OAM messages. Thus, theATU transceivers 122 and 142 of such a system share various operationaldata maintained in their respective MIBs.

As used herein, the terms “user,” “subscriber,” and/or “customer” referto a person, business and/or organization to which communicationservices and/or equipment are and/or may potentially be provided by anyof a variety of service provider(s). Further, the term “customerpremises” refers to the location to which communication services arebeing provided by a service provider. For an example Public SwitchedTelephone Network (PSTN) used to provide DSL services, customer premisesare located at, near and/or are associated with the network termination(NT) side of the telephone lines. Example customer premises include aresidence or an office building.

As used herein, the term “service provider” refers to any of a varietyof entities that provide, sell, provision, troubleshoot and/or maintaincommunication services and/or communication equipment. Example serviceproviders include a telephone operating company, a cable operatingcompany, a wireless operating company, an internet service provider, orany service that may independently or in conjunction with a broadbandcommunications service provider offer services that diagnose or improvebroadband communications services (DSL, DSL services, cable, etc.). ADSL services wholesaler and a DSL services reseller are described inmore detail with respect to the figures that follow.

Additionally, as used herein, the term “DSL” refers to any of a varietyand/or variant of DSL technology such as, for example, Asymmetric DSL(ADSL), High-speed DSL (HDSL), Symmetric DSL (SDSL), and/or Veryhigh-speed/Very high-bit-rate DSL (VDSL). Such DSL technologies arecommonly implemented in accordance with an applicable standard such as,for example, the International Telecommunications Union (I.T.U.)standard G.992.1 (a.k.a. G.dmt) for ADSL modems, the I.T.U. standardG.992.3 (a.k.a. G.dmt.bis, or G.ads12) for ADSL2 modems, I.T.U. standardG.992.5 (a.k.a. G.ads12plus) for ADSL2+ modems, I.T.U. standard G.993.1(a.k.a. G.vds1) for VDSL modems, I.T.U. standard G.993.2 for VDSL2modems, I.T.U. standard G.994.1 (G.hs) for modems implementinghandshake, and/or the I.T.U. G.997.1 (a.k.a. G.ploam) standard formanagement of DSL modems.

References to connecting a DSL modem and/or a DSL communication serviceto a customer are made with respect to exemplary Digital Subscriber Line(DSL) equipment, DSL services, DSL systems and/or the use of ordinarytwisted-pair copper telephone lines for distribution of DSL services, itshould be understood that the disclosed methods and apparatus tocharacterize and/or test a transmission medium for communication systemsdisclosed herein may be applied to many other types and/or variety ofcommunication equipment, services, technologies and/or systems. Forexample, other types of systems include wireless distribution systems,wired or cable distribution systems, coaxial cable distribution systems,Ultra High Frequency (UHF)/Very High Frequency (VHF) radio frequencysystems, satellite or other extra-terrestrial systems, cellulardistribution systems, power-line broadcast systems and/or fiber opticnetworks. Additionally, combinations of these devices, systems and/ornetworks may also be used. For example, a combination of twisted-pairand coaxial cable interfaced via a balun connector, or any otherphysical-channel-continuing combination such as an analog fiber tocopper connection with linear optical-to-electrical connection at anOptical Network Unit (ONU) may be used.

The phrases “coupled to,” “coupled with,” connected to,” “connectedwith” and the like are used herein to describe a connection between twoelements and/or components and are intended to mean coupled/connectedeither directly together, or indirectly, for example via one or moreintervening elements or via a wired/wireless connection. References to a“communication system” are intended, where applicable, to includereference to any other type of data transmission system.

FIG. 1B illustrates an alternative exemplary architecture 101 in whichembodiments may operate. Architecture 101 depicts multiple remote DSLterminals 105A, 105B, 105C, 105D, 105E, 105F, and 105G, each of whichmay correspond to an end-user location such as a customer's residence orbusiness. In one embodiment, the remote DSL terminals 105A-G are DSLmodems located within a customer's home or business, through which thecustomer's networked computing devices may access Internet bandwidth.

Each remote DSL terminal 105A-G is connected to an access aggregationdevice 125A or 125B via one or more twisted pair lines 110 (e.g., POTStelephone lines, pre-existing telephone lines connecting the customer'sphysical service location to the access aggregation device 125A-B, DSLloops, DSL lines, etc.). Multiple twisted pair lines 110 associated withdifferent customer's remote DSL terminals may travel through or beco-located within a common binder 115, through which multiple twistedpair lines 110 traverse in close proximity to one another. FIG. 1depicts the twisted pair lines 110 connecting remote DSL terminals 105A,105B, and 105C as all traversing the common binder 115.

Each access aggregation device 125A and 125B has multiple physical ports120A-G to which the twisted pair lines 110 from remote DSL terminals105A-G are connected. For example, as depicted, remote DSL terminal 105Aconnects with physical port 120A of access aggregation device 125A,remote DSL terminal 105B connects with physical port 120B, remote DSLterminal 105C connects with physical port 120C. With respect to accessaggregation device 125B, remote DSL terminal 105D connects with physicalport 120D, remote DSL terminal 105E connects with physical port 120E,remote DSL terminal 105F connects with physical port 120F, and remoteDSL terminal 105G connects with physical port 120G.

In one embodiment, each of the plurality of access aggregation devices125A-B are Digital Subscriber Line Access Multipliers (DSLAMs), eachhaving a respective plurality of physical ports (e.g., physical ports120A-C correspond to DSLAM 125A and physical ports 120D-G correspond toDSLAM 125B). In such an embodiment, each DSLAM 125A-B further includes aback-haul 135 communications interface to communicatively link eachrespective DSLAM 125A-B to a wholesaler service provider 130. Thewholesaler service provider 130 may be co-located with one or more ofthe connected access aggregation devices 125A-B, remotely located fromeach of the respective access aggregation devices 125A-B, or co-locatedwith some of the connected access aggregation devices 125A-B, andremotely located from other connected access aggregation devices 125A-B.In one embodiment, one or more access aggregation devices 125A-B areco-located at a physical central office (CO) location which alsocontains other equipment operated by the wholesaler 130. Each accessaggregation device 125A-B connected to the DSL services wholesaler 130via the broadband link or a back-haul 135 is provided with Internetconnectivity from the DSL services wholesaler 130 which is then in turndistributed to the various remote DSL terminals 105A-G.

In one embodiment, a Device Abstraction Proxy 140 includes acommunications interface 145 to connect the Device Abstraction Proxy toa plurality of remotely located access aggregation devices (e.g., 125Aand 125B) and other various network elements making up a DSLwholesaler's infrastructure equipment. In one embodiment, thecommunications interface 145 connects with and communicates with theaccess aggregation devices (e.g., 125A and 125B) and other networkelements via network cloud 195. For example, network cloud 195 may beInternet connectivity or Internet access over, for example, a publiclyaccessible network. Such communications may transmitted in a securemanner, or communicated within a Virtual Private Network (VPN) over apublicly accessible network. In one embodiment, each access aggregationdevice 125A-B has a plurality of physical ports 120A-G to provideDigital Subscriber Line (DSL) communication services to a plurality ofremote DSL terminals 105A-C via the plurality of physical ports. The DSLcommunication services may be administered and configured via thecommunications interface 145 over network cloud 195.

In one embodiment, the Device Abstraction Proxy 140 includes a memoryand processor to execute a virtual access aggregation device 155 withinthe Device Abstraction Proxy 140. In such an embodiment, a subset of theplurality of physical ports 120A-G are allocated to the virtual accessaggregation device 155 and linked to corresponding logical ports 121Fand 121G within the virtual access aggregation device 155. For example,FIG. 1 depicts physical ports 120F and 120G as having been allocated andlinked to corresponding logical ports 121F and 121G within the virtualaccess aggregation device executing within the Device Abstraction Proxy140, as indicated by the curved broken lines from access aggregationdevice 125B to the virtual access aggregation device 155. Other variantsare also feasible. For example, in one embodiment, all physical ports ofa single physical access aggregation device 125 are allocated to asingle virtual access aggregation device 210 and linked accordingly tological ports, thus presenting a single physical access aggregationdevice 125 in a virtualized or abstracted manner via the virtual accessaggregation device due to the 1:1 correspondence between physical andlogical ports. Using such an approach, a DSL services reseller may haveadministrative authority over multiple virtual access aggregationdevices, each having a 1:1 correspondence to a physical accessaggregation device. Such a presentation may be employed to present eachvirtual access aggregation device so that it “appears” as though it is a“real” or physical DSLAM, including the number of ports available viathe virtualized access aggregation device. Multiple such virtual accessaggregation devices may correspond to multiple distinct DSL servicesresellers, each having responsibility for a subset of the total numberof virtual access aggregation devices within the Device AbstractionProxy 140. Alternatively, all ports from multiple access aggregationdevices may also be allocated to a single virtual access aggregationdevice. For example, a DSL services reseller may have complete orexclusive control of multiple access aggregation devices and assign themto a single virtual access aggregation device. Many such permutationsare permitted in accordance with the systems and methods described.

In one embodiment, the Device Abstraction Proxy 140 further includes aglobal rule-set module 160 to define operational constraints for the DSLcommunication services. For example, DSL communication services (e.g.,access to Internet bandwidth) provided to the various end-user consumersvia remote DSL terminals 105A-G may be restricted in such a way thatthey must conform with operational constraints which are defined by theglobal rule-set module 160.

In a particular embodiment, a DSL services wholesaler 130 hasadministrative authority over the Device Abstraction Proxy 140 andcontrols the Device Abstraction Proxy 140 via a control interface 170.In one embodiment, control interface 170 connects with and communicateswith DSL services wholesaler 130 over network cloud 195. In such a way,the DSL services wholesaler 130 may control, configure, administer, andotherwise interact with the Device Abstraction Proxy in accordance withthe systems and methods described herein. In some embodiments, the DSLservices wholesaler 130 may be co-located with the Device AbstractionProxy 140 and communicate with the Device Abstraction Proxy 140 viacontrol interface 170 over network cloud 195 (e.g., via the Internet orvia a Local Area Network (LAN) or other such communication network). Inother embodiments, the DSL services wholesaler 130 is remotely located(e.g., in a distinct physical local, such as a different data center)from the Device Abstraction Proxy 140 and communicates with the DeviceAbstraction Proxy 140 via control interface 170 over network cloud 195,for example, via the Internet or via a Wide Area Network (WAN), etc.

In a particular embodiment, a DSL services wholesaler 130 hasadministrative authority over the Device Abstraction Proxy 140 andcontrols the operational constraints defined by the global rule-setmodule 160 via control interface 170. In one embodiment, the operationalconstraints defined by the global rule-set module 160 for the DSLcommunication services provided to end-user consumers include one ormore operational constraints selected from a group of operationalconstraints including: allowed spectrum masks; total power limits; oneor more allowed ranges of transmit power; allowed minimum transmit powerlevels; allowed Dynamic Spectrum Management (DSM) policy (e.g., whetherDSM must be activated or is optionally activated and whether DSM isutilized across physical ports associated with consumers of only one DSLservices reseller or utilized across physical ports associated withconsumers from multiple DSL services resellers), an allowed number ofdistinct profiles provisioned on a per virtual access aggregation devicebasis (e.g., how many discrete service levels are permissible for anygiven DSL services reseller having administrative authority over aparticular virtual access aggregation device), in which each profiledefines operational characteristics for a respective logical portincluding at least transmit power, data rate, and error protection;maximum allowed upstream aggregate bandwidth utilization on a pervirtual access aggregation device basis; and maximum allowed downstreamaggregate bandwidth utilization on a per virtual access aggregationdevice basis.

FIG. 2 illustrates an alternative exemplary architecture 200 in whichembodiments may operate.

In one embodiment, the Device Abstraction Proxy 140 includes amanagement interface 295 to allow at least one broadband accessmanagement system to manage the subset of physical ports (e.g., physicalports 120F and 120G) allocated to a virtual access aggregation device(e.g., 210A or 210B) subject to the operational constraints imposed by aglobal rule-set module 160. In one embodiment, management interface 295connects with and communicates with the DSL services resellers 205A-Bvia network cloud 195, for example, via the Internet.

In one embodiment, the management interface 295 of the DeviceAbstraction Proxy 140 provides access capabilities to one or morebroadband access management systems 215A or 215B of remotely located DSLservices resellers 205A or 205B. In one embodiment, the broadband accessmanagement system 215A or 215B is a remotely located client deviceoperated by a DSL services reseller 205A or 205B. In such an embodiment,the DSL services reseller 205A or 205B has administrative authority tomanage a virtual access aggregation device (e.g., 210A or 210Brespectively) within the Device Abstraction Proxy 140. For example, FIG.2 depicts an embodiment in which physical ports 120F and 120G areallocated to virtual access aggregation device 210A and correspond tological ports 121F and 121G of virtual access aggregation device 210A.FIG. 2 further depicts physical ports 120C and 120E as being allocatedto virtual access aggregation device 210B and thus linked tocorresponding logical ports 121C and 121E of virtual access aggregationdevice 210B. In such an embodiment, DSL services reseller 205A may bedelegated administrative authority over virtual access aggregationdevice 210A, and thus, DSL services reseller 205A manages the subset ofphysical ports (120F and 120G) associated with virtual accessaggregation device 210A via its administrative authority to manage thecorresponding logical ports (121F and 121G) within the virtual accessaggregation device 210A. DSL services reseller 205B may similarly bedelegated administrative authority over virtual access aggregationdevice 210B so that it may manage its respective physical and logicalports in a similar manner.

In one embodiment, the Device Abstraction Proxy 140 further includes amemory and processor to execute the second virtual access aggregationdevice 210B. In one embodiment, a second subset of the plurality ofphysical ports (e.g., 120C and 120E), non-overlapping with a firstsubset of the plurality of physical ports (e.g., 120F and 120G), areallocated to the second virtual access aggregation device 210B andlinked to corresponding logical ports 121C and 121E within the secondvirtual access aggregation device 210B via a provisioning module 225 ofthe Device Abstraction Proxy 140.

In one embodiment, administrative control of each respective accessaggregation device 125A and 125B is allocated to a DSL serviceswholesaler 130 having management responsibility for the respectiveaccess aggregation devices 125A and 125B and further having managementresponsibility for a corresponding back-haul 135 communications linkproviding each respective access aggregation device 125A and 125B withaccess to Internet bandwidth.

In such an embodiment, administrative control of a first virtual accessaggregation device (e.g., 210A) is allocated to a first DSL servicesreseller 205A having access to a first portion of the Internet bandwidthaccessible via the plurality of access aggregation devices 125A and 125Bfor re-sale to end-user consumers and administrative control of a secondvirtual access aggregation device (e.g., 210B) is allocated to a secondDSL services reseller 205B having access to a second portion of theInternet bandwidth accessible via the plurality of access aggregationdevices 125A and 125B for re-sale to end-user consumers. In such anembodiment, the first DSL services reseller 205A and the second DSLservices reseller 205B may be separate and distinct business entities.For example, each may be a business competitor of the other, and eachmay compete for its share of available end-user consumers on the basisof price, service, reliability, speed, etc. Although each DSL servicesreseller 205A and 205B may utilize the same underlying communicationinfrastructure equipment provided by the DSL services wholesaler 130,each may seek to differentiate themselves in the marketplace byeffecting varying configuration schemes within their respective virtualaccess aggregation device 210A-B for which they have administrativeauthority. Such configurations may however be subject to operationalconstraints implemented by the DSL services wholesaler 130 as defined bythe global rule-set module 160.

In one embodiment, the Device Abstraction Proxy 140 further includes acontrol interface 170 to allow a DSL services wholesaler 130 havingadministrative authority over the Device Abstraction Proxy 140 to managean operational configuration of the Device Abstraction Proxy 140. Forexample, the control interface 170 may allow the Device AbstractionProxy 140 to receive control messages and/or instructions 235 relatingto the configuration of the Device Abstraction Proxy 140. Such controlmessages and/or instructions 235 may instruct the Device AbstractionProxy to generate or instantiate a new virtual access aggregation devicefor execution within the Device Abstraction Proxy 140 to support, forexample, a new DSL services reseller. Such control messages and/orinstructions 235 may instruct the Device Abstraction Proxy 140 toallocate any of physical ports 120A-G to an executing virtual accessaggregation device 210 or de-allocate any of physical ports 120A-G froman executing virtual access aggregation device 210. The control messagesand/or instructions 235 may instruct the global rule-set module 160 toalter or re-define the operational constraints placed upon DSLcommunication services rendered via the plurality of access aggregationdevices 125A-B connected with the Device Abstraction Proxy 140.

In one embodiment, the Device Abstraction Proxy 140 further includes aprovisioning module 225 to allocate the subset of physical ports (e.g.,subset 120F and 120G) to the virtual access aggregation device 210A andto further link the subset of physical ports (e.g., subset 120F and120G) to the corresponding logical ports (e.g., 121F and 121G) withinthe virtual access aggregation device (e.g., 210A) responsive to controlmessages and/or instructions 235 from the DSL services wholesaler 130received at the control interface 170.

In one embodiment, the Device Abstraction Proxy 140 further includes anauthorization module 230 to enforce the operational configuration of theDevice Abstraction Proxy 140. Enforcing the operational configurationmay include one or more operations selected from the group of: enforcingmanagement traffic rules; enforcing service definition rules; enforcinglimits on data viewable by any DSL services reseller 205A-B on a pervirtual access aggregation device 210A-B basis; enforcing limits onlogical port operations available to any DSL services reseller 205A-B ona per virtual access aggregation device 210A-B basis; enforcing limitson available configuration options for the DSL communication servicesavailable to any DSL services reseller 205A-B; and enforcing limits onaccess to diagnostic information by any DSL services reseller 205A-B ona per virtual access aggregation device 210A-B basis, responsive tocontrol messages and/or instructions 235 from the DSL serviceswholesaler 130 received at the control interface 170.

In one embodiment, the management interface 295 receives a request 240for operational data relating to DSL communication services provided toone or more of the remote DSL terminals 105A-G. In such an embodiment,the authorization module 230 of the Device Abstraction Proxy 140 maylimit access to the operational data relating to the DSL communicationservices based on whether the one or more remote DSL terminals 105A-Gare associated with logical ports (e.g., 121C, 121E, 121F, or 121G)allocated to a virtual access aggregation device 210A or 210B for whicha requestor has administrative authority. For example, in accordancewith the embodiment set forth by FIG. 2, if DSL services reseller 205Ahaving administrative control over virtual access aggregation device210A were to request information or operational data relating tophysical ports 121C or 121E which are allocated to a different virtualaccess aggregation device, such a request would be blocked, denied,restricted, etc.

The authorization module 230 of the Device Abstraction Proxy 140 makesit possible for DSL services resellers 205 to access diagnosticinformation over the management interface for equipment that is owned bya DSL services wholesaler 130. Such capabilities where not previouslyfeasible because DSL services wholesalers are naturally reluctant togrant such access rights to another party. Problems arise due to such alack of access in which a DSL services reseller 205 who is responsiblefor diagnosing faults within a customer's home lacks the necessaryinformation with which to perform the diagnosis of problems. Commonly, aDSL services reseller 205 mistakenly concludes that a fault is withinthe DSL communication infrastructure, and thus, the responsibility ofthe DSL services wholesaler 130. This creates unnecessary cost anddelay, and inevitably, the DSL services wholesaler 130, whotraditionally has access to more extensive diagnostic information,properly diagnoses the fault to be within a customer's home, a diagnosisthat a DSL services reseller 205 may have correctly made had the DSLservices reseller had access to the appropriate diagnostic informationfrom the DSL services wholesaler's equipment.

Because the authorization module 230 is able to limit the view to onlythat information associated with physical ports, logical ports, and DSLloops/lines associated with a particular DSL services reseller 205(e.g., via a virtual access aggregation device 210) the DSL serviceswholesaler 130 can grant access or delegate authority to retrievepertinent diagnostic information without concern of a particular DSLservices reseller 205 having unfettered access or too great of access orcontrol to the DSL services wholesaler's equipment.

An additional benefit of delegating some control to the virtual accessaggregation devices, yet subjecting such control to the operationalconstraints enforced by the authorization module 230, is that DSLservices resellers 205 can differentiate themselves on more than simplyprice. For example, a particular DSL services provider may be able tooffer distinct configurations in accordance with the operationalconstraints set by a DSL services wholesaler 130 that allow, forexample, higher data rates, higher data reliability, lower latency,lower access speeds for lower costs, and so forth. This is distinguishedfrom a traditional model in which a DSL services wholesaler 130 mayspecify only two or three permitted configurations, which are identicalto all DSL services resellers 205 renting/leasing/buying bandwidthaccess from the DSL services wholesaler 130. In such a way, an improvedcompetitive market place may be enabled.

The authorization module 230 in conjunction with delegating certainadministrative control to a virtual access aggregation device 210enables the DSL services resellers 205 to 1) properly monitor theirservices so that they may ensure the service provided is in accordancewith the level of service promised, 2) diagnose faults more accuratelyand more quickly leading to reduced waste, reduced operational costs,and improved customer satisfaction, 3) differentiate services andservice quality from other competitors, and 4) initiate provisioning ofservices to new customers through the resellers' management interface295 which in turn relays such requests 240 to the provisioning module225 under the control of a DSL services wholesaler 130.

In accordance with one embodiment, the Device Abstraction Proxy 140further includes a Dynamic Spectrum Management (DSM) module 250 to applycooperative DSM optimization techniques against at least one logicalport (e.g., 121F or 121G) of the first virtual access aggregation device210A associated with the first reseller service provider 205A andagainst at least one logical port (e.g., 121C or 121E) of the secondvirtual access aggregation device 210B associated with the secondreseller service provider 205B. In some embodiments, DSM module 250applies cooperative DSM optimization techniques against only those linesbelonging to a single virtual access aggregation device (e.g., 210A),such as logical ports 121F and 121G. In such an embodiment, both logicalports are associated with physical ports (e.g., 120F and 120G)corresponding to a single access aggregation device 125G. Alternatively,DSM module 250 may apply cooperative DSM optimization techniques againstonly those lines belonging to a single virtual access aggregation device(e.g., 210A) where the logical ports within a single virtual accessaggregation device (e.g., logical ports 121C and 121E within virtualaccess aggregation device 210B) correspond to physical ports on multipleaccess aggregation devices (e.g., physical ports 120C and 120E on accessaggregation devices 125A and 125B respectively).

Administrative authority to control the DSM module 250 may be allocatedto a DSL services wholesaler 130 or allocated to one or more DSLservices resellers 205A-B, or allocated to both the DSL serviceswholesaler 130 and contemporaneously to one or more DSL servicesresellers 205A-B. In an embodiment where administrative authority isallocated to both the DSL services wholesaler 130 and to one or more DSLservices resellers 205A-B, instructions, commands, and configurations ofthe DSL services wholesaler 130 may take precedence over conflictinginstructions, commands, and configurations issued by any DSL servicesreseller 205A-B. For example, an authorization module may enforce suchprecedence.

The DSM module 250 provides DSL communication service optimizationacross multiple lines by adjusting various operational parametersapplied to such lines. Such optimizations may, for example, reducecross-talk among lines traversing a common binder by reducing transmitpower or assigning communication spectrums to the lines that are lesslikely to create interference noise, which degrades service quality.These techniques may be considered to be applied to the twisted pairlines 110, against the physical ports 120A-G corresponding to aparticular line, or against the logical ports (e.g., 121C, 121E, 121F,or 121G) associated with particular lines, but in any event, the DSMoptimizations affect the underlying DSL communication services providedto DSL customers and end-users via the remote DSL terminals 105A-G.Changes to operational parameters to effect the DSM cooperativeoptimization techniques may be communicated to the global rule-setmodule 160 which defines operational constraints for the various DSLcommunication services and may further be enforced by the authorizationmodule 230 for any particular physical port, logical port, twisted pairline, or combination of logical ports, physical ports, or twisted pairlines.

In one embodiment, the Device Abstraction Proxy 140 and the DSM module250 both operate under the administrative control of the DSL serviceswholesaler 130. In such an embodiment, DSM optimizations may be appliedacross DSL communication services provided to DSL customers/end-usersbelonging to separate and distinct DSL services resellers 205A-B. In analternative embodiment, the DSM module 250 applies cooperative DSMoptimization techniques against two or more logical ports within thesame virtual access aggregation device 210A-B. In such an embodiment,the Device Abstraction Proxy 140 may operate under the administrativecontrol of a DSL services wholesaler 130 while administrative control ofthe virtual access aggregation device (e.g., 210A or 210B) and the DSMmodule 250 is delegated to a DSL services reseller 205A or 205B,enabling a DSL services reseller 205A or 205B to specify the services tobe delivered to its customers subject to the infrastructure operationsrules and/or operational constraints specified by DSL service wholesaler130. Although administrative control of the DSM module 250 may bedelegated to a DSL services reseller 205A or 205B, such administrativecontrol may be restricted by authorization module 230 so that anyparticular DSL services reseller 205A or 205B may only affect DSMoptimization techniques for those logical ports 121 that are allocatedto a virtual access aggregation device 210A or 120B for which the DSLservices reseller 205A or 205B also has complimentary administrativecontrol.

In an alternative embodiment, at least one of the DSL services resellers205A or 205B further include a Dynamic Spectrum Management (DSM) module,such as DSM module 275 depicted within DSL services reseller 205A. OtherDSL services resellers may also have similar DSM modules, each of whichmay be communicatively interfaced with the Device Abstraction Proxy 140.In accordance with on embodiment, a Dynamic Spectrum Management (DSM)module 275 operates within a DSL services reseller 205A communicativelyinterfaced with the Device Abstraction Proxy 140 and the DSM module 275performs one of the following cooperative DSM optimizationtechniques: 1) the DSM module 275 to apply DSM optimizations against atleast one logical port (e.g., 121F) of the first virtual accessaggregation device 210A associated with the DSL services reseller 205Aand against at least one logical port (e.g., 121C) of a second virtualaccess aggregation device 210B associated with a second DSL servicesreseller 205B, wherein the DSM module 275 operates under theadministrative control of a DSL services wholesaler 130; 2) the DSMmodule to apply the DSM optimizations against at least two or morelogical ports (e.g., 121F and 121G) each associated exclusively with thefirst virtual access aggregation (210A), wherein the DSM module 275operates under the administrative control of the DSL services wholesaler130; and 3) the DSM module 275 to apply the DSM optimizations againstthe at least two or more logical ports (e.g., 121F and 121G) eachassociated exclusively with the first virtual access aggregation device210A, wherein the DSM module 275 operates under the administrativecontrol of the DSL services reseller 205A having administrativeauthority for the first virtual access aggregation device 210A.

Regardless of whether a DSL services reseller or a DSL serviceswholesaler has administrative authority over a DSM module (250 or 275),and regardless of whether a DSM module operates within a DSL servicesreseller (e.g., DSM module 275 of DSL services reseller 205A) or withina Device Abstraction Proxy (e.g., DSM module 250 of Device AbstractionProxy 140), the DSM optimization techniques may be applied to thoselines corresponding to the customers of multiple DSL services resellers,or in alternative embodiments, DSM optimization techniques may beapplied via a DSM module (250 or 275) against those lines correspondingto the customers of only one DSL services reseller, so that anyoptimizations or changes to DSL communication services provided by theDSL services reseller affect only those customers of the one DSLservices reseller. In some embodiments, multiple DSM modules (250 or275) operate to provide DSM optimization capabilities, and each DSMmodule (250 or 275) operates on a per DSL services reseller basis, sothat each DSM module (250 or 275) provides DSM optimizations for atmost, one DSL services reseller.

FIG. 3 illustrates an alternative exemplary architecture 300 in whichembodiments may operate. In particular, an alternative view of thevarious interfaces and functional modules of the Device AbstractionProxy 140 is depicted in accordance with certain embodiments.

In accordance with one embodiment, the management interface 295implements an Application Programming Interface (API) in which themanagement interface 295 presents each virtual access aggregation device(e.g., 210A and 210B) as an individual physical DSLAM device to DSLAMconfiguration tools via the API. The DSLAM configuration tools operatedby a DSL services reseller 205A-B may thus be utilized to access andinterface with the virtual access aggregation devices (e.g., 210A and210B) as though they were physical DSLAMs. In such a way, DSL servicesreseller 205A-B may continue to use existing interface tools andsoftware to communicate with the Device Abstraction Proxy 140 withouthaving to develop or acquire new or different interfacing tools.

In one embodiment, the API implemented by the management interface 295provides access to diagnostic information on behalf of the DSL servicesresellers on a per virtual access aggregation device basis via themanagement interface 295. For example, although physical portsassociated with a particular DSL services reseller 205 may be spreadacross multiple separate and distinct access aggregation devices orDSLAMs, diagnostic information may nevertheless be presented for onevirtual access aggregation device 210 as though all of the logical ports121 of the virtual access aggregation device 210 were physical ports 120within one physical DSLAM. As noted above, multiple virtual accessaggregation devices 210 per DSL services reseller is also provided for,and thus, in accordance with one embodiment, the management interface295 provides access to diagnostic information on behalf of the DSLservices resellers 205 on a per DSL services reseller basis, in whichall virtual access aggregation devices associated with a particular DSLservices reseller are provided to the appropriate DSL services resellervia the management interface 295.

In one embodiment, diagnostic information is provided via the API of themanagement interface 295 to a diagnostic system of a DSL servicesreseller 205, to a DSL services wholesaler 130, or to a vendor thatprovides one or more of the DSLAM devices (e.g., access aggregationdevices 125).

In one embodiment, management interface 295 communicates provisioningrequests 240 from DSL services resellers 205 to a provisioning module225 of the Device Abstraction Proxy 140. Such provisioning requests 240may request that a physical port 120 on one of the remotely locatedaccess aggregation 125 devices to be allocated to a virtual accessaggregation device 210 associated with a requesting DSL servicesreseller 205.

In one embodiment, management interface 295 provides access tooperational data and port status information subject to restrictionsenforced by an authorization module 230 of the Device Abstraction Proxy140 which operates under the administrative control of a DSL serviceswholesaler 130.

In one embodiment, management interface 295 implements a remoteapplication programming interface (R-API or RAPI), implements standardSimple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) interface using a similar SNMPschema as for physical access aggregation devices, and furtherimplements secure communication capabilities (e.g., provided via, forexample, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)). DSL services resellers areaccustomed to managing access aggregation devices using SNMP interfaces;the availability of an SNMP interface for managing virtual accessaggregation devices enables DSL services resellers to use the samemanagement tools for managing virtual access aggregation devices as formanaging physical access aggregation devices

In one embodiment, control interface 170 performs one or more of thefollowing DSL services wholesaler operations including: providing amanagement data interface to a wholesaler's management system, includingbut not limited to at least one of the following: interfacing to aProvisioning System, Network Elements (NEs), interfacing to anOperations Support System (OSS), interfacing to an Element ManagementSystem (EMS), interfacing to a Network Management System (NMS);implementing aggregate traffic management operations against multiplevirtual access aggregation devices 210 operating within the DeviceAbstraction Proxy 140; implementing traffic management operations on aper DSLAM basis or on a per access aggregation device 125 basis in whichthe traffic management operations are effected against one of theplurality of remotely located physical access aggregation devices 125;implementing vendor support operations that are applied against any ofthe remotely located physical access aggregation devices (e.g., vendorsupport operations may be applied against one or more DSLAMsmanufactured or supported by a particular DSLAM vendor); implementingprofile provisioning and selection operations on behalf of a DSLservices wholesaler 130 responsive to logical port configurationrequests received from a DSL services reseller 205 via the managementinterface 295; and implementing wholesaler notification operationsresponsive to profile changes affecting one or more logical ports 121within any virtual access aggregation device 210 executing within theDevice Abstraction proxy 140; and backing up and/or restoringconfiguration information for physical DSLAMs communicatively interfacedvia control interface 170. The preceding list is exemplary of thevarious operations permissible and should not be considered exhaustive.

Additionally depicted by FIG. 3 is Database 310. In one embodiment,database 310 provides data support and storage for the DeviceAbstraction Proxy 140. For example, database 310 may provide physicalport to reseller mapping or physical port to virtual access aggregationdevice mapping, store rule definitions on behalf of the global rule-setmodule 160, store loop inventory information describing the availableloops communicatively interfaced to the Device Abstraction Proxy 140through the plurality of remotely located access aggregation devices125, etc.

In some embodiments, DSL services resellers may have a local replica ofdatabase 310 having the corresponding Device Abstraction Proxy 140information stored therein. In such an embodiment, the local replica maybe limited or restricted to include only information associated withphysical ports or logical ports to which a DSL services reseller hasadministrative control via a virtual access aggregation device 210.

In one embodiment, the communications interface 145 may include a“southbound” interface, providing connectivity to the various networkelements, DSLAMs, EMSs, access aggregation devices, and other suchequipment that makes up the DSL services wholesaler's communicationsinfrastructure. Control interface 170 may sometimes be referred to as anoperator facing “northbound” interface connecting an operator/DSLservices wholesaler 130 to the Device Abstraction Proxy 140 over whichsuch an operator/wholesaler may issue provisioning instructions, alter aconfiguration of the Device Abstraction Proxy 140, alter the rules andoperational constraints defined by a global rule-set module 160, and soforth. Management interface 295 may sometimes be referred to as areseller facing “northbound” interface connecting the reseller serviceproviders 205 to the Device Abstraction Proxy.

The commands, requests, instructions, and data communicated overcommunications Interface 145, control interface 170, and managementinterface 295 as described herein may be received, acknowledged and/ortransmitted using any of a variety of format(s), communicationprotocol(s) and/or technique(s), including but not limited to, Internet,TCP/IP, UDP, RTP, Secure Socket Layer (SSL)/Transport Layer Security(TLS), Hyper-Text Transport Protocol (HTTP), Simple Object AccessProtocol (SOAP), Remote Procedure Call (RPC) methods, TR-069 (BroadbandForum Technical Report TR-069, and its variants), etc. It is appreciatedthat other communication methods, such as the public switched telephonenetwork (PSTN), cellular data communications, electronic mailcommunications, USB, and flash memory, could also be used for thecommunications.

FIG. 4 shows a diagrammatic representation of a system 400 in whichembodiments may operate, be installed, integrated, or configured.

In one embodiment, system 400 includes a memory 495 and a processor orprocessors 490. For example, memory 495 may store instructions to beexecuted and processor(s) 490 may execute such instructions.Processor(s) 490 may also implement or execute implementing logic 460having logic to implement the methodologies discussed herein. System 400includes communication bus(es) 415 to transfer transactions,instructions, requests, and data within system 400 among a plurality ofperipheral devices communicably interfaced with one or morecommunication buses 415. In one embodiment, system 400 includes acommunication means 415 to interface, transfer, transact, relay, and/orcommunicate information, transactions, instructions, requests, and datawithin system 400, and among plurality of peripheral devices. System 400further includes management interface 425, for example, to receiverequests, return responses, and otherwise interface with remote clients,such as broadband access management systems 215A or 215B associated withDSL services resellers 205. System 400 further includes controlinterface 430 to communicate with and receive control messages and/orinstructions 235 from a DSL services wholesaler 130 responsive to whichoperational configurations or changes may be effected upon system 400.System 400 further includes communications interface 435 which providesconnectivity between system 400 and the various network elements,DSLAMs, access aggregation devices, and other DSL communicationinfrastructure equipment operated by a DSL services wholesaler 130.

System 400 further includes multiple stored profiles and rules 450 thatmay be implemented or applied to various logical ports 455 of system 400to provide DSL communication services to remotely located DSL terminalsvia remote access aggregation devices communicatively interfaced withsystem 400. The stored profiles and rules 450 may be stored upon a harddrive, persistent data store, a database, or other storage locationwithin system 400.

Distinct within system 400 is Device Abstraction Proxy 401 whichincludes global rule-set module 470, authorization module 475,provisioning module 480, and DSM module 485. Device Abstraction Proxy401 may be installed and configured in a compatible system 400 as isdepicted by FIG. 4, or provided separately so as to operate inconjunction with appropriate implementing logic 460 or other software.

In accordance with one embodiment, global rule-set module 470 definesrules or operational constraints as established by a DSL serviceswholesaler to be applied to one or more logical ports 455 of system 400.Authorization module 475 coordinates with global rule-set module 470 toensure that defined operational constraints are enforced. Provisioningmodule 480 effects configuration changes responsive to requests from DSLservices wholesalers or from DSL services resellers subject to definedoperational constraints. DSM module 485 implements cooperative DSMoptimization techniques under the administrative authority of either DSLservices wholesalers, DSL services resellers, or both.

FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C are flow diagrams illustrating methods forimplementing and operating Device Abstraction Proxies accordance withdescribed embodiments. Methods 500A, 500B, and/or 500C may be performedby processing logic that may include hardware (e.g., circuitry,dedicated logic, programmable logic, microcode, etc.), software (e.g.,instructions run on a processing device to perform various operationssuch as provisioning, allocating, configuring, and accessing a virtualaccess aggregation device/DSLAM, etc., or some a combination thereof. Inone embodiment, methods 500A, 500B, and 500C are performed by a DeviceAbstraction Proxy such as that depicted at element 140 of FIG. 1, andFIG. 2 or via a Device Abstraction Proxy such as that depicted atelement 401 of FIG. 4. Some of the blocks and/or operations listed beloware optional in accordance with certain embodiments. The numbering ofthe blocks presented is for the sake of clarity and is not intended toprescribe an order of operations in which the various blocks must occur.

Method 500A begins with processing logic for communicably interfacing aDevice Abstraction Proxy with one or more access aggregation devices,each having a plurality of physical ports thereon (block 505). In someembodiments, one or more of the connected access aggregation devices areremotely located from a Device Abstraction Proxy and in otherembodiments, one or more of the access aggregation devices areco-located with a Device Abstraction Proxy, such as, within the samedata center. In one embodiment, only one access aggregation device iscommunicably interfaced with a Device Abstraction Proxy. For example, insuch an embodiment, a Device Abstraction Proxy and a physical accessaggregation device, such as a DSLAM, may operate within the samephysical computing device, thus enabling the DSLAM/access aggregationdevice to provide virtualized abstraction of its own physical ports, sothat aspects of administrative authority for the DSLAM/accessaggregation device may be delegated to, for example, a DSL servicesreseller. In other embodiments, multiple access aggregation devices arecommunicably interfaced with a single Device Abstraction Proxy and oneor more physical ports of each access aggregation device are representedvia virtual abstraction devices of the Device Abstraction Proxy.

At block 510, processing logic allocates a subset of the plurality ofphysical ports to the virtual access aggregation device executing withinthe Device Abstraction Proxy. In some embodiments the subset of physicalports allocated to the virtual access aggregation device includes one ormore physical ports on a first remotely located access aggregationdevice and one or more physical ports on a second remotely locatedaccess aggregation device, so that the subset of physical ports includesphysical ports distributed amongst multiple access aggregation devices.At block 515, processing logic links the allocated subset of physicalports to corresponding logical ports within the virtual accessaggregation device.

At block 520, processing logic provides a management interface to allowat least one broadband access management system of the DSL servicesreseller to manage the subset of physical ports allocated to the virtualaccess aggregation device.

Method 500B begins with processing logic at a DSL services reseller foraccessing a Device Abstraction Proxy via a management interface API(block 530).

At block 535, processing logic sends a request via the managementinterface API from the DSL services reseller to the Device AbstractionProxy to manage a logical port within a virtual access aggregationdevice of the Device Abstraction Proxy. The Device Abstraction Proxycorrespondingly receives the request. The selected managementfunction/operation requested may include at least one of the followingfunctions: modifying and updating configuration, resetting, updatingsettings, reading information, sending commands, sending and receivingdiagnostics information and commands, changing profiles. Thesemanagement functions may be applied to the logical ports within thevirtual access aggregation device, through which they are in turnapplied to correspondingly linked physical ports on the accessaggregation devices associated with the DSL services reseller.

At block 540, processing logic at the DSL services reseller receivesnotification via the management interface from the Device AbstractionProxy that the management selection specified by the request complieswith operational constraints. For example, the Device Abstraction Proxyprocesses the request via an authorization module which determines thatthe management specified by the request complies with the plurality ofoperational constraints, such as those defined by a global rule-setmodule and enforced via an authorization module. If the requestedmanagement function/operation selected does not comply, it may berejected completely, or altered so that it is brought in-line with anacceptable configuration in accordance with the plurality of operationalconstraints.

At block 545, processing logic manages the logical port in accordancewith the request. Management of the logical port within the virtualaccess aggregation device is reflected by a corresponding physical portlinked to the logical port, thus effecting the configuration onto theDSL communication services provided to a remote DSL terminal via theparticular physical port linked to the logical port that was configured.For example, managing the logical port as may include receiving arequest to reset a physical port on one of the plurality of accessaggregation devices or DSLAMs and processing the request accordingly.For example, processing logic may reset a physical port requested to bereset when the physical port is determined to be allocated to a virtualaccess aggregation device for which a requestor has administrativecontrol. In one embodiment, if the requestor lacks administrativecontrol over a virtual access aggregation device to which the physicalport is allocated, or if the physical port is in an unallocated state,the request to reset the physical port is rejected by the DeviceAbstraction Proxy. In one embodiment, a requestor may issue a “reset allports” command or “reset DSLAM” command which would be implemented upona virtual access aggregation device as a request to reset all thephysical ports that are allocated to the particular virtual accessaggregation device for which the requestor has administrative control.Similar determinations are made (e.g., whether to execute a requestedcommand or reject the request) for port operations such as requests toenable a port, disable a port, solicit status of a port, requestdiagnostic information for a specified port, etc.

At block 550, processing logic sends a request for diagnosticinformation to the Device Abstraction Proxy via the management interfaceand at block 555, the DSL services reseller receives the requesteddiagnostic information from the Device Abstraction Proxy via themanagement interface. In such an embodiment, the diagnostic informationreceived may be limited by an authorization module of the DeviceAbstraction Proxy to a restricted, filtered, or limited view of allavailable diagnostic information, for example, diagnostic informationmay be limited to only information pertaining to virtual accessaggregation devices over which the requesting DSL services reseller hasadministrative authority.

At block 560, processing logic at a DSL services reseller appliesDynamic Spectrum Management optimization techniques. For example suchtechniques may be applied via a DSM module located within the DSLservices reseller and operate under the administrative authority of theDSL services reseller or under the administrative authority of a DSLservices wholesaler. Alternatively, the DSM optimization techniques maybe applied via a DSM module located within the Device Abstraction Proxyand operate under the administrative authority of the DSL servicesreseller or under the administrative authority of a DSL serviceswholesaler.

Method 500C begins with processing logic at a DSL services wholesalerfor receiving a request from a DSL services reseller to provision avirtual access aggregation device/DSLAM (block 565). Alternatively, aDSL services wholesaler may initiate provisioning absent a request froma DSL services reseller.

At block 570, processing logic sends provisioning instructions from theDSL services wholesaler to the Device Abstraction Proxy via the controlinterface to provision the virtual access aggregation device/DSLAM. TheDevice Abstraction Proxy correspondingly receives the provisioninginstructions from the DSL services wholesaler to provision the virtualaccess aggregation device.

At block 575, processing logic instantiates and executes or instructsthe Device Abstraction Proxy to instantiate and execute the virtualaccess aggregation device via the control interface. The DeviceAbstraction Proxy correspondingly instantiates and executes the virtualaccess aggregation device as instructed by the DSL services wholesaler.

At block 580, processing logic allocates administrative control of thevirtual access aggregation device to a DSL services reseller via thecontrol interface. In some embodiments, administrative control of a DSMmodule for performing cooperative DSM optimization techniques may alsobe allocated to the DSL services reseller. In other embodiments,administrative control of such a DSM module is retained within theexclusive control of a DSL services wholesaler having administrativeauthority for the Device Abstraction Proxy. In some embodiments, a DSMmodule is located at a DSL services reseller yet operates under thecontrol of the DSL services wholesaler or in alternative embodiments, aDSM module at a DSL services reseller operates under the administrativeauthority of the DSL services reseller.

At block 585, processing logic sends a request for diagnosticinformation to the Device Abstraction Proxy via the control interfaceand at block 590, the DSL services wholesaler receives the requesteddiagnostic information from the Device Abstraction Proxy via the controlinterface.

At block 595, processing logic at the DSL services wholesaler specifies,configures, or initiates Dynamic Spectrum Management optimizationtechniques to be applied to DSL communication services. For example suchtechniques may be applied via a DSM module located within a DSL servicesreseller which operates under the administrative authority of the DSLservices reseller or under the administrative authority of the DSLservices wholesaler which the DSL services wholesaler may control viathe Device Abstraction proxy. Alternatively, the DSM optimizationtechniques may be applied via a DSM module located within the DeviceAbstraction Proxy and operate under the administrative authority of theDSL services reseller or under the administrative authority of a DSLservices wholesaler.

FIG. 6 illustrates a diagrammatic representation of a machine 600 in theexemplary form of a computer system, in accordance with one embodiment,within which a set of instructions, for causing the machine 600 toperform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein, may beexecuted. In alternative embodiments, the machine may be connected(e.g., networked) to other machines in a Local Area Network (LAN), anintranet, an extranet, or the Internet. The machine may operate in thecapacity of a server or a client machine in a client-server networkenvironment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed)network environment or as a server or series of servers within anon-demand service environment, including an on-demand environmentproviding database storage services. Certain embodiments of the machinemay be in the form of a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-topbox (STB), a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, aweb appliance, a server, a network router, switch or bridge, computingsystem, or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions(sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by thatmachine. Further, while only a single machine is illustrated, the term“machine” shall also be taken to include any collection of machines(e.g., computers) that individually or jointly execute a set (ormultiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of themethodologies discussed herein.

The exemplary computer system 600 includes a processor 602, a mainmemory 604 (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, dynamic randomaccess memory (DRAM) such as synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) or Rambus DRAM(RDRAM), etc., static memory such as flash memory, static random accessmemory (SRAM), volatile but high-data rate RAM, etc.), and a secondarymemory 618 (e.g., a persistent storage device including hard disk drivesand persistent data base implementations), which communicate with eachother via a bus 630. Main memory 604 includes information andinstructions and software program components necessary for performingand executing the functions with respect to the various embodiments ofthe Device Abstraction Proxy described herein. For example, stored rulesand profiles 624 specify operational constraints as defined by a globalrule-set module and enforced by an authorization module and storesprofiles to be applied to physical/logical ports thus establishing DSLcommunication services). Main memory 604 further includes multiplelogical ports 623 to which physical ports are linked once allocated to avirtual device abstraction proxy. Main memory 604 and its sub-elements(e.g. 623 and 624) are operable in conjunction with processing logic 626and processor 602 to perform the methodologies discussed herein.

Processor 602 represents one or more general-purpose processing devicessuch as a microprocessor, central processing unit, or the like. Moreparticularly, the processor 602 may be a complex instruction setcomputing (CISC) microprocessor, reduced instruction set computing(RISC) microprocessor, very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor,processor implementing other instruction sets, or processorsimplementing a combination of instruction sets. Processor 602 may alsobe one or more special-purpose processing devices such as an applicationspecific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array(FPGA), a digital signal processor (DSP), network processor, or thelike. Processor 602 is configured to execute the processing logic 626for performing the operations and functionality which is discussedherein.

The computer system 600 may further include a network interface card608. The computer system 600 also may include a user interface 610 (suchas a video display unit, a liquid crystal display (LCD), or a cathoderay tube (CRT)), an alphanumeric input device 612 (e.g., a keyboard), acursor control device 614 (e.g., a mouse), and a signal generationdevice 616 (e.g., an integrated speaker). The computer system 600 mayfurther include peripheral device 636 (e.g., wireless or wiredcommunication devices, memory devices, storage devices, audio processingdevices, video processing devices, etc.). The computer system 600 mayperform the functions of a Device Abstraction Proxy 634 capable ofprovisioning virtual access aggregation devices, configuring suchvirtual access aggregation devices, and authorizing requested changes,access to, or configurations of virtual access aggregation devicesincluding logical ports therein, and defining/enforcing operationalconstraints upon logical ports within the virtual access aggregationdevices, as well as the various other functions and operations describedherein.

The secondary memory 618 may include a non-transitory machine-readablestorage medium (or more specifically a non-transitory machine-accessiblestorage medium) 631 on which is stored one or more sets of instructions(e.g., software 622) embodying any one or more of the methodologies orfunctions described herein. Software 622 may also reside, oralternatively reside within main memory 604, and may further residecompletely or at least partially within the processor 602 duringexecution thereof by the computer system 600, the main memory 604 andthe processor 602 also constituting machine-readable storage media. Thesoftware 622 may further be transmitted or received over a network 620via the network interface card 608.

While the subject matter disclosed herein has been described by way ofexample and in terms of the specific embodiments, it is to be understoodthat the claimed embodiments are not limited to the explicitlyenumerated embodiments disclosed. To the contrary, the disclosure isintended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements aswould be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope ofthe appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so asto encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements. It is tobe understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative,and not restrictive. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those ofskill in the art upon reading and understanding the above description.The scope of the disclosed subject matter is therefore to be determinedin reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope ofequivalents to which such claims are entitled.

What is claimed is:
 1. A network management apparatus comprising: aplurality of physical access aggregation interfaces coupled to aplurality of physical access aggregation devices, the plurality ofphysical access aggregation devices provides one or more broadbandcommunication services to a plurality of remote broadband terminals; anda management entity coupled to the plurality of physical accessaggregation interfaces, the management entity creates a plurality ofvirtual access aggregation devices related to the plurality physicalaccess aggregation devices, the plurality of virtual access aggregationdevices performs functions that support associated logical aggregationnetworks with network characteristics defined by service definitionrules.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the service definition rulesdefine operational characteristics of logical ports on the plurality ofvirtual access aggregation devices.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 whereinthe management entity enforces traffic rules on the plurality of logicalaggregation networks.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the managemententity requests a management function to configure the plurality ofvirtual access aggregation devices.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 whereinthe management system instantiates the one or more virtual accessaggregation devices.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of theplurality of logical aggregation networks provides specific networkcapabilities and network characteristics.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1further comprising a management interface that reports diagnosticinformation to one or more service providers.
 8. The apparatus of claim1 wherein the management entity provides control of a portion offunctionality to at least one physical access aggregation device withinthe plurality of the physical access aggregation devices.
 9. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein one or more logical aggregation networkwithin the plurality of logical aggregation networks is a part of anetwork slice which traverses a wide area network.
 10. The apparatus ofclaim 9 wherein one or more network slice provides specific networkcapabilities and network characteristics.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1wherein the management entity is distributed across one or more physicalnetwork elements.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality ofphysical access aggregation devices supports at least one of thefollowing: DSL, G.fast, PON, GPON, XG-PON, XGS-PON, NG-PON2, EPON,10G-EPON, WDM-PON; Powerline Communications, Mobile WirelessCommunications, Fixed Wireless Communications, Cellular WirelessCommunications, Wi-Fi, or Cable Modem.
 13. A method comprising:providing one or more broadband communication services to a plurality ofremote broadband terminals via at least one of a plurality of physicalports that are located on one or more physical access aggregationdevices; communicatively interfacing a management entity to the one ormore physical access aggregation devices; creating a plurality ofvirtual access aggregation devices related to the one or more physicalaccess aggregation devices; and performing functions by each of theplurality of virtual access aggregation devices that support the one ormore logical aggregation networks having certain network characteristicsthat comply with service definition rules, each of the one or morelogical aggregation networks being part of a network slice thattraverses a wide area network.
 14. The method of claim 13 wherein themanagement entity enforces traffic rules on the one or more logicalaggregation networks.
 15. A non-transitory computer readable storagemedia having computer program code stored thereon, the computer programcode, when executed by one or more processors implementing a managementsystem, cause the management system to perform an operation whichcomprises: providing one or more broadband communication services to aplurality of remote broadband terminals via at least one of a pluralityof physical ports that are located on one or more physical accessaggregation devices; communicatively interfacing a management entity tothe one or more physical access aggregation devices; creating aplurality of virtual access aggregation devices related to the one ormore physical access aggregation devices; and performing functions byeach of the plurality of virtual access aggregation devices that supportthe one or more logical aggregation networks having certain networkcharacteristics that comply with service definition rules, each of theone or more logical aggregation networks being part of a network slicethat traverses a wide area network.
 16. The non-transitory computerreadable storage media of claim 17 wherein the management entityinstantiates the one or more virtual access aggregation devices.
 17. Thenon-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 17 wherein eachof the one or more logical aggregation networks provides specificnetwork capabilities and network characteristics.
 18. A methodcomprising: accessing a device abstraction proxy from a first serviceprovider via an interface, the device abstraction proxy representingphysical ports at multiple access aggregation devices communicablycoupled to the service provider as at least one virtual accessaggregation device within the device abstraction proxy; receiving, atthe interface of the device abstraction proxy, a request for operationaldata relating to broadband communication services provided to one ormore broadband access terminals; receiving, at the interface of thedevice abstraction proxy, the operational data from one or more accessaggregation devices, the received operational data including data forbroadband lines associated with one or more consumers served by at leasta second service provider; and providing the operational data to thefirst service provider via the interface.
 19. The method of claim 18wherein the interface of the device abstraction proxy provides accesscapabilities to one or more broadband access management systems ofremotely located service providers.
 20. The method of claim 18 whereinthe device abstraction proxy comprises an authorization module thatenforces an operational configuration of the device abstraction proxy,the authorization module limits access to the operational data.
 21. Themethod of claim 18 wherein the device abstraction proxy furthercomprises a communications interface that couples to one or more accessaggregation devices, each of the one or more access aggregation deviceshaving a plurality of physical ports to provide broadband communicationservices to a plurality of broadband access terminals via the pluralityof physical ports.